ILO certifies GRA’s  HIV/AIDS Peer Educators: June 06, 2007
Approximately thirty Peer Educators from the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) received Certificates of Participation in HIV/AIDS Education from the International Labour Organisation (ILO).

The presentation was made on Tuesday, June 5 at a simple ceremony held at the Customs and Trade Administration Training Room, Main Street, Georgetown.

The Peer Educators are volunteering employees attached to the various Divisions/Units in the GRA who received training in areas of HIV/AIDS counseling as a support mechanism for employees infected or affected by HIV/AIDS.

The objective of the programme is to promote education amongst employees about safe and responsible sexual practices. The training was provided to in two batches.

 Peter Fraser, Assistant Commissioner, Training, commended the efforts of the Peer Educators.

“It is good that you see this as important even though it is voluntary,” he said.

Supernumerary Commissioner to the Customs and Trade Administration Mr. Chabilall Ramsarup urged the Peer Educators to share their knowledge.  “It is important that the information gets out there and help people to practice what they know,” he said.

He said the GRA recognises HIV/AIDS as a workplace issue and has adopted the ILO’s Code of Principles for HIV/AIDS Policy which entails a non-discriminatory approach towards employment within the GRA.

Sean Wilson, National Project Coordinator, ILO, encouraged the volunteers to continue the good work, to serve as good role models and to make HIV/AIDS education a part of their daily lives.

Gem Barton said the Programme has been very educational.
“It has helped us peer educators to have a different sense of what is going on in the world as it relates to HIV/AIDS and it has equipped us with the knowledge to help fellow staff … to guide them and encourage them to be careful of the relations in which they engage.”

She believes that the AIDS in the Workplace programme is a major step in helping to reduce the spread of HIV/AIDS.

She noted it is important especially since HIV/AIDS mostly affects the productive age group (20 - 45 years), which could eventually have a negative effect on overall production.

Shondell Nethnarayan on behalf of the group thanked the ILO for giving them the opportunity to become more educated about HIV/AIDS.  She saluted the GRA and her colleagues for their “commitment toward educating, choosing to live a healthy lifestyle, making good and informed choices and by being positive examples … making the world a better place.”
 

The GRA is among the first set of organisations to launch the Peer Educators Programme on December 1, 2006, in observance of World AIDS Day.

The Authority works in close collaboration with the Local ILO Project Coordinator and is in the process of coordinating training programmes for AIDS Counsellors in the not too distant future.